Sustainable Canada /
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kayaking on the yukon riVer
TREADING
lightly Wonderful wilderness, eco-friendly resorts and exciting humanpowered adventures make Canada the perfect choice for a sustainable escape, says Lauren Jarvis
M
y epic two-week journey down the Yukon River begins in the territory’s capital, Whitehorse, when five canoes launch into the wild, Jack London-style, and set off for Dawson City, 450 miles to the north. Paddling eight hours a day, we tread lightly – bubbling along with the current as silt fizzes against the bow, and powering our way across glassy Lake Laberge, leaving nothing but silver ripples in our wake. Each night, we will wild camp beside the river, where beavers build their dams and grizzly tracks mark the banks.
Collecting firewood, we will cook in the midnight sun and – wonderfully wifi-free – tell stories as the timeless waters roll by, before sleeping under canvas, answering calls of nature like bears in the woods. By the village of Carmacks, hands are blistered and muscles ache. Another week of paddling, wild camping and white water lies ahead, as the infamous Five Finger Rapids rumbles downriver. Running through town, The Klondike Highway offers a tempting escape: to civilisation, Starbucks and a comfortable bed and pillows. A crossroads. A choice. I pick up my
finding a Balace in canada’S great outdoorS
SELLING CANADA WINTER/SPRING 2021/22
Sustainable Canada V17.indd 13
10/28/21 05:28 PM
